GalacticCactus Forum
Forums => English & Linguistics => Topic started by: Doorknob on September 30, 2004, 01:59:31 PM
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How in the world, did something like a wax stamping for security process done by landowners, end up with the same name as the aformentioned furry aquatic mammal also known as a seal?
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You could try looking it up and checking the notes on the etymology.
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They are both from Middle English, one via Old English and the other via Latin and Old French, so how did they end up sounding the same today?
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The Old English diphthong eo smoothed to e, and the h dropped from pronunciation. The g probably turned into a y in Old French and then disappeared entirely, which probably changed the vowel in the process.
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See I knew you'd know the answer!
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Seals are furry? I thought otters were the furry ones....
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True seals do have visible hair and their flippers are typically furred, but they aren't exactly "furry." There are animals known as "fur seals" but they are more closely related to sea lions (Family Otariidae) than true seals (Family Phocidae). And, yes, otters are very furry. They can have up to one million hairs per square inch of their coat.
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My company manufactures seals for automobiles among other things.
Our engineering web page's slogan is "John Crane Engineering- Where seals are not just furry aquatic mammals" It is so bad I cringe every time I read it, but that's where that bit came from. I am aware that a seal is not exactly the furriest creature in the world.
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Which begs the next question: what is the furriest creature in the world?
The otter sounds like it's right up there.
And doorknob - who are you?
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I am that I am ;)
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I think a chinchilla may win on the furry bit. It has 40 hairs per follicle which I think is the highest in the animal kingdom.
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Nah, the chinchilla doesn't hold a candle to this guy (http://www.funnypop.com/pictures/showphoto.php?photo=359&sort=1&cat=504&page=1).
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There was a guy at our school when I was a freshman who would shave "MSU" into his back hair. It really bothered me when I realized that there was no way he could have done it himself.
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That definetely rates a 8.5 on my Squick-O-meter. o_O :blink:
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Doorknob has got to be Banna. I don't get the new name, though.
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Banna? I thought it was the LORD. Though I didn't understand why He would need to ask us an etymology question.
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According to the National Parks Conservation Association (http://www.npca.org/marine_and_coastal/marine_wildlife/seaotter.asp), the sea otter has the thickest fur in the animal kingdom. (Kids' Planet (http://www.kidsplanet.org/factsheets/otter.html) and the Monterey Bay Aquarium (http://www.mbayaq.org/efc/efc_fo/ottr_sea_warm.asp) agree.) However, I wasn't able to find consistent numbers for the actual density of hair. The Canadian Encyclopedia (http://www.thecanadianencyclopedia.com/index.cfm?PgNm=TCE&Params=J1ARTJ0007242) says 18 hairs per follicle, while Otterjoy.com (http://www.otterjoy.com/NEWSARCHIVE/Colloquium9.html) says 100.
I had similar troubles finding out about chinchilla fur. AJ's (if Doorknob is indeed AJ) number of 40 hairs per follicle was around the low end, while Pitter Patter Chinchillas (http://www.geocities.com/pitterpatterchinchillas/information.html) claims they can have up to 120 hairs per follicle.
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Alas, the picture appropriate for this thread is inappropriate for this forum!